Sports-Related Head Injury Caused Yet another Death in a High School Student

Tragedy struck Shoreham-Wading River High School in Suffolk Country, New York, when 16 year old, Tom Cutinella, collapsed after a collision during a football game.  Cutinella was the third high school football player to die in one week.

Cutinella was a junior in high school and he passed away after he suffered an injury during a football game on Wednesday between Shoreham-Wading River and John Glenn High School in Elwood, New York.  The superintendent of Cutinell’s school district, Steven R. Cohen, told reporters that the fatal injury that Cutinella sustained was the result of a “freak football player” during which there was “typical contact.”

Cohen also stated that Cutinella suffered a head injury.  It was reported that the injury was sustained after Cutinella “blocked an opponent for a teammate.”  It was also reported that after the play, Cutinella stood up and then collapsed.  After the injury was suffered, Cutinella was immediately taken to the hospital where he was pronounced dead later that night.
 
The principal of Shoreham-Wading River High School, Daniel Holtzman, said that Cutinella was a nice, well-rounded young man and that he was an “amazing student.”  On that Thursday afternoon, nearly 1,000 came together for a candlelight vigil to honor Cutinella on the football field at his high school.
 
Newsday described it, ““Cutinella’s No. 54 was up in lights on the scoreboard, and at the 50-yard line white candlelights were set up to form the number of the linebacker and guard…When his Wildcats teammates lined up as if for a football play, they left a spot empty for Cutinella, 16, and players began talking about the student they admired.”

This tragedy is compounded with the two other high school football players who died in the same week as Cutinella.  One of the other deaths was similar and happened after a collision.  The third student died after collapsing during pre-game warms-ups.  TIME had a recent cover story in which they reported that eight high school students died while playing football in 2013, according to the National Center for Catastrophic Sports Injury Research at the University of North Carolina.  That was the highest number of deaths since 2001.
 
High school football has significant risks to players, including serious head injuries.  According to youthsportsafetyalliance.org, roughly 8,000 children are treated in an emergency room every day for a sports-related injury.  15-17 year olds represent the majority of the children who receive those injuries.  High school athletes suffer 2 million injuries playing sports, 500,000 doctor visits and 30,000 are hospitalized for their injuries.  Another shocking statistic is that high school athletes suffer three times as many catastrophic football injuries as college athletes.
 
Sports-related injuries, and sports-related head injuries are incredibly serious risks that young athletes may face while playing a sport.  If your child has suffered from a sports-related injury, you may be able to seek compensation for any medical bills, pain and suffering or wrongful death.  In addition, the high school or equipment manufacturer may be liable for the injury.  

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